Floor and ceiling mounting for rack and shelving system

ABSTRACT

For use in a storage space providing a floor and a ceiling, a rack system comprising a plurality of vertically extending standards, a baseplate for connecting each standard to such a floor and supporting it thereon, and a ceiling plate for connecting each standard to such a ceiling, the base and ceiling plates being provided in pairs to be securely fastened, respectively, to such floor and ceiling in vertical registry. The baseplates, ceiling plates, and standards are proportioned and designed so that each standard can be connected to a pair of the plates by engaging the upper end of the standard with downwardly extending means of the ceiling plate, lifting the standard vertically upwardly and, then, lowering the lower end of the standard into secure engagement with upwardly extending means of the baseplate. Thus, tools and fastening elements are not required to assemble and disassemble the rack system of the present invention.

United States Patent Michael M. Elliott;

John M. Thomas, both 01 Indianapolis, Ind. 884,493

Dec. 12, 1969- Nov. 30, I971 Elliot-Williams Company, Inc. Indianapolis, Ind.

[72] Inventors [21 Appl. No. l 22] Filed [45 Patented 173 Assignee [54] FLOOR AND CEILING MOUNTING FOR RACK [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,529,826 11/1950 Walker.... 52/241 X 2,673,782 3/1954 Adler 312/257 3,101,817 3/1963 Radek 52/241 3,017,672 l/1962 Vaughan 52/241 Primary Examiner-Nile C. Byers, Jr. AnorneyHood, Gust, Irish, Lundy & Coffey ABSTRACT: For use in a storage space providing a floor and a ceiling, a rack system comprising a plurality of vertically extending standards, a baseplate for connecting each standard to such a floor and supporting it thereon, and a ceiling plate for connecting each standard to such a ceiling, the base and ceiling plates being provided in pairs to be securely fastened, respectively, to such floor and ceiling in vertical registry. The baseplates, ceiling plates, and standards are proportioned and designed so that each standard can be connected to a pair of the plates by engaging the upper end of the standard with downwardly extending means of the ceiling plate, lifting the standard vertically upwardly and, then, lowering the lower end of the standard into secure engagement with upwardly extending means of the baseplate. Thus, tools and fastening elements are not required to assemble and disassemble the rack system of the present invention.

FLOOR AND CEILING MOUNTING FOR RACK AND SI-IELVING SYSTEM It is a primary object of our invention it provide a rack system which is particularly suited for use in storage areas such as in walk-in refrigerators or freezers, which storage areas are provided with floors and ceilings to which, respectively, baseplates and ceiling plates may be securely fastened.

Our rack system comprises a plurality of vertically extending standards, the lower end of each of which is to be connected to and supported by a baseplate and the upper end of each of which is to be connected to a ceiling plate. It is our concept that each of these standards is to be easily connected to a vertically registered pair of base and ceiling plates without the use of fastening elements or hand tools.

For a discussion of the type of rack and shelving system toward which our present invention is directed, we refer to the presently pending application Ser. No. 839,373 filed July 7, I969 by Michael M. Elliott. This prior copending application discusses a rack and shelving system which is particularly suited for use in walk-in refrigerators or freezers. The vertically extending standards of the present invention may be identical to the vertically extending standards disclosed in the said prior copending application. These standards are proportioned and designed so that a plurality of horizontally extending guide members or guide rails can be mounted on the standards to provide a plurality of laterally spaced-apart, horizontally extending runners for supporting opposite side edges of trays, pans, shelves, boxes and the like. In accordance with the disclosure of the said copending application, the standards are disposed in rows and columns in a storage space with each standard rigidly fastened to the floor and to the ceiling by means of fastening elements. The baseplates, ceiling plates and standards of the present invention are proportioned and designed so that each standard can be removably connected to a vertically registered pair of base and ceiling plates by engaging the upper end of the standard with the downwardly ex tending means of the .ceiling plate, lifting the standard vertically upwardly and, then, lowering the lower end of the standard into secure engagement with the upwardly extending means of the baseplate. Then, the standard can be removed or disconnected from the vertically registered plates by lifting the standard vertically upwardly, disengaging the lower end of the standard from the baseplate and then lowering the standard out of engagement with the ceiling plate. The ceiling plate, therefore, is provided with downwardly extending means for engaging the upper end of the standard, which downwardly extending means is proportioned and designed to guide the standard connected thereto for generally vertically reciprocation by an amount greater than the height of the upwardly extending means of the baseplate disposed therebelow and less than the difference between the length of the standard and the vertical distance between the plates. 7

Other objects and features of our invention will become apparent as this description progresses.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, our invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that change may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described, so long as the scope of the appended claims is not violated.

In the drawings:

FIG. I is a fragmentary, perspective view of a standard, ceiling plate and baseplate of our present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, elevational view showing a standard connected at its upper end to a ceiling plate and at its lower end to a base plate; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally along the lines 3-3 in FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawings, it will be seen that we have illustrated a standard 10, a baseplate l2 and a ceiling plate 14. The baseplate 12 may be rigidly fastened to a floor, such as indicated at 16, by means such as illustrated screws I8 which penetrate through openings in the baseplate. Similarly, the

ceiling plate I4 may be fastened to a ceiling, such as indicated at 22, by means such as the illustrated screw 24 which extends through an opening 26 in the ceiling plate. For reasons which will become apparent as this description progresses, each pair of base and ceiling plates l2, 14 will be mounted as shown in FIG. 2 with the ceiling plate disposed above and in vertical registry with the baseplate.

In accordance with our invention, each baseplate 12 is provided with upwardly extending means for engaging the lower end of a standard 10 and each ceiling plate 14 is provided with downwardly extending means for engaging the upper end of a standard 10. Further, in accordance with our invention, the downwardly extending means of each ceiling plate 14 is proportioned and designed to guide the standard 10 connected thereto for generally vertical reciprocation for a small distance as will be discussed hereinafter. In the illustrative embodiment, the upwardly extending means of each baseplate I2 includes first, second and third upwardly extending projections 28, 30, 32 and the downwardly extending means of each ceiling plate 14 includes first, second and third downwardly extending projections 34, 36, 38. In the illustrative embodiment, these projections 28-38 are vertically and laterally extending flanges or tabs, the projections of vertically registered base and ceiling plates l2, l4 lying in parallel planes.

Each illustrative standard 10 is an elongated member, preferably an extrusion, having a generally C-shaped cross section providing a longitudinally extending main body portion 40 and first and second parallel and longitudinally extending flange portions 42, 44 extending therefrom and providing generally parallel, oppositely facing outer surfaces 46, 48. This main body portion 40 provides a generally flat, longitudinally extending back surface 50 which is generally perpendicular to the said outer surfaces 46, 48 and first and second generally flat, longitudinally extending front surfaces 52, 54 which are generally parallel to the back surface 50. The front surface 52 and outer surface 46 intersect to provide a first comer 56 extending longitudinally throughout the length of the standard 10 and, likewise, the front surface 54 and the outer surface 48 intersect to provide a second corner 58 ex tending longitudinally throughout the length of the standard.

As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, when a standard 10 is resting on and connected to a baseplate 12, the projection 28 of the plate engages the lower portion of the first corner 56 of the standard, the projection 30 of the plate engages the lower portion of the second corner 58 of the standard and the projection 32 of the baseplate engages the lower portion of the back surface 50 of the standard. Similarly, when the upper end of a standard 10 is connected to a ceiling plate, the projection 34 of the plate engages the upper portion of the first corner 56 of the standard, the projection 36 of the plate engages the upper portion of the second corner 58 of the standard and the projection 38 of the ceiling plate engages the upper portion of the back surface 50 of the standard.

Referring specifically to FIG. 3, it will be seen that the two projections 28, 30 are flanges which are parallel to the flan getype projection 32. The two projections 28, 30 are equidistantly spaced from the projection 32. Further, the distance between the innermost edges of the projections 28 and 30 is equal to or just slightly greater than the distance between the outer surfaces 46, 48 which are received between the projections. Still further, the distance between each projection 28, 30 and the projection 32 is equal to or just slightly greater than the distance between the front surfaces 52, 54 and the back surface 50 of the standard 10.

Each ceiling plate 14 is preferably identical to each baseplate 12 with the exception that the downwardly extending projections 34, 36, 38 of the ceiling plates are longer than the upwardly extending projections 28, 30, 32 of the baseplates, this difference being best seen in FIG. 2. Thus, when a baseplate I2 and ceiling plate 14 are, respectively, fastened to a floor and ceiling to be in vertical registry as illustrated in FIG. 2, the downwardly extending projections 34, 36, 38 are, respectively, in vertical alignment with the upwardly extending projections 28, 30, 32.

The downwardly extending projections 34, 36, 38 of each ceiling plate 14 are proportioned and designed to permit the standard connected thereto to be reciprocated vertically by the short distance represented by d in FIG. 2. This distance d is greater than the height of the upwardly extending projections 28, 30, 32, but equal to or less than the difference between the length of the standard 10 and the vertical distance between the plates l2, 14. The ability to lift each standard 10 by this small distance d permits easy installation of the standards. Specifically, a standard 10 may be connected to a vertically registered pair of base and ceiling plates l2, 14 by engaging the upper end of the standard with the downwardly extending projections 34, 36, 38 of the ceiling plate, lifting the standard vertically upwardly by this small distance d and, then, lowering the lower end of the standard into secure engagement with the upwardly extending projections 28, 30, 32 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Each standard 10 can be disconnected from its base and ceiling plates l2, 14 by lifting the standard by this small distance d, moving the lower end of the standard laterally relative to the baseplate, and then lowering the upper end of the standard out of engagement with the downwardly extending projections 34, 36, 38 of the ceiling plate.

In our rack system, any load which is applied to a standard 10 will be a vertical load which will tend to hold the lower end of the standard in secure engagement with its baseplate 12.

it will be seen that each flange portion 42, 44 of the illustrative standard 10 is slotted as indicated at 60. The purpose of these slots 60 is clearly explained in the above referred to application Ser. No. 839,373. Specifically, runners or guides of the type indicated generally at 62 in FIG. 1 are connected to the standards 10 by engaging flange portions of each guide with the slots 60 of the standard. The manner in which we prefer to connect the guides 62 to the standards 10 is fully disclosed in the said application Ser. No. 839,373 and does not constitute a part of the present invention.

We prefer to provide standards 10 which are fabricated from aluminum extrusions having the above described crosssectional shape and by cutting the slots 60 in the flanges 42, 44.- Similarly, we prefer that the base and ceiling plates l2, 14 be fabricated from aluminum extrusions having cross-sectional shapes identical to the elevational views of these plates l2, 14 shown in FIG. 2. The plates 12 are formed by cutting the proper extrusion to the desired length to provide the width of the plate and then by cutting one flange of the extrusion to provide the space between the projections 28, 30. Similarly, the plate' 14 is formed by cutting the proper extrusion to the desired length to provide the width of the plate and then cutting one of the flanges of the extrusion to provide the space between the projections 34, 36.

The following dimensions, provided in tabular form, for the standard 10, ceiling plate 14 and baseplate l2 constitute our presently preferred dimensions:

Standard Dimensions Width of back surface 50 L625 inches Distance from back surface 50 to front surfaces 52, 54 0.500 inch Distance between outer surfaces 46, 48 L375 inches Width of front surfaces 52, 54 0.l25 inch Ceiling Plate Dimensions Width of projection 38 2.000 inches Distance between projection 38 and projections 34, 36 0.53l inch Distance between inner edges of projections 34, 36 L404 inches Depth of projections 34, 36, 38 0,750 inches Baseplate Dimensions Width of projection 32 2.000 inches Distance between projection 32 and projections 28. 30 0.5M inch Distance between inner edges of projections 28, 30 L404 inches Height of projections 28, 30, 32 0.!87 inch It will be seen that the height of the projections 28, 30, 32 of our preferred system is slightly less than 0.2 inch which means that the small distance d of F IG. 2 does not have to be significantly greater than, for instance, 0.3 or 0.4 inch. The preferred depth of projections 34, 36, 38 of 0.750 inches will compensate for normal floor to ceiling height tolerances.

We claim:

1. For use in a storage space providing a floor and a ceiling, a rack system comprising a plurality of vertically extending standards, a baseplate for connecting each standard to such a floor and supporting it thereon, and a ceiling plate for connecting each standard to such a ceiling, said base and ceiling plates being provided in pairs to be fastened, respectively, to such floor and ceiling in vertical registry, each baseplate providing upwardly extending rigid means for engaging the lower end of one of said standards, and each ceiling plate providing downwardly extending rigid means for engaging the upper end of one of said standards, said downwardly extending means of each ceiling plate being proportioned and designed to guide the standard connected thereto for generally vertical reciprocation only by an amount greater than the height of said upwardly extending means of the baseplate disposed therebelow and equal to or leas than the difference between the length of the standard and the vertical distance between the plates and positively to restrain the upper end of the standard from moving laterally, said upwardly extending means of each baseplate being proportioned and designed to guide the standard connected thereto for generally vertical reciprocation only and positively to restrain the lower end of the standard from moving laterally when said lower end is engaged therewith, whereby, each standard can be connected to a pair of said plates by engaging the upper end of said standard with the downwardly extending means of the ceiling plate, lifting the standard vertically upwardly and, then lowering the lower end of said standard into secure engagement with the upwardly extending means of the baseplate, the engagement of the lower end of said standard with said upwardly extending means being maintained by gravity.

2. The rack system of claim 1 in which each of said standards includes a main body portion, each upwardly extending means includes means defining upwardly opening means for receiving the lower end of a main body portion, and each downwardly extending means includes means defining a downwardly opening means for telescopically receiving the upper end of a main body portion.

3. For use in a storage space providing a floor and a ceiling, a rack system comprising a plurality of vertically extending standards, a baseplate for connecting each standard to such a floor and supporting it thereon, and a ceiling plate for connecting each standard to such a ceiling, said base and ceiling plates being provided in pairs to be fastened, respectively, to such floor and ceiling in vertical registry, each baseplate providing upwardly extending means for engaging the lower end of one of said standards, and each ceiling plate providing downwardly extending means for engaging the upper end of one of said standards, said downwardly extending means of each ceiling plate being proportioned and designed to guide the standard connected thereto for generally vertical reciprocation by an amount greater than the height of said upwardly extending means of the baseplate disposed therebelow and equal to or less than the difference between the length of the standard and the vertical distance between the plates, whereby, each standard can be connected to a pair of said plates by engaging the upper end of said standard with the downwardly extending means of the ceiling plate, lifting the standard vertically upwardly and, then lowering the lower end of said standard into secure engagement with the upwardly extending means of the baseplate, each standard including an elongated member having a generally C-shaped cross section providing a longitudinally extending main body portion and first and second parallel and longitudinally extending flange portions extending therefrom and providing generally parallel, oppositely facing outer surfaces, said main body portion providing a generally flat, longitudinally extending back surface generally perpendicular to said outer surface and first and second generally fiat, longitudinally extending front surfaces generally parallel to said back surface, said first front surface and the outer surface of said first flange intersecting to provide a first comer and said second front surface and the outer surface of said second flange intersecting to provide a second comer, the downwardly extending means of each ceiling plate including a first downwardly extending projection for engaging said first corners, a second downwardly extending projection for engaging said second corners, and a third downwardly extending projection for engaging said back surfaces, and the upwardly extending means of each baseplate including a first upwardly extending projection for engaging said first corners, a second upwardly extending projection for engaging said second comers, and a third upwardly extending projection for engaging said back surfaces.

4. The rack system of claim 3 in which said first, second and third downwardly extending projections are laterally and downwardly extending flanges with said first and second downwardly extending projections being parallel to and spaced forwardly of said third downwardly extending projection, and in which said first, second and third upwardly extending projections are laterally and upwardly extending flanges with said first and second upwardly extending projections being parallel to and spaced forwardly of said third upwardly extending projection.

5. The rack system of claim 4 in which said first and second downwardly extending projections are equidistantly spaced from said third downwardly extending projection, and in which said first and second upwardly extending projections are equidistantly spaced from said third downwardly extending projection 6. The rack system of claim 5 in which the distance between said first and second downwardly extending projections and said third downwardly extending projection is slightly greater than the distance between the back surface and the front surfaces of the standard engaged thereby, and in which the distance between said first and second upwardly extending projections and said third upwardly extending projection is slightly greater than the distance between the back surface and the front surfaces of the standard engaged thereby.

7. The rack system of claim 6 in which the distance between the inner edges of said first and second downwardly extending projections and the distance between the inner edges of said first and second upwardly extending projections is slightly greater than the distance between the outer surfaces of one of the standards engaged thereby.

t t i t i 2 3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION patent 3,624, 780 Dated November 30 1971 Michael M. Elliott and John M. Thomas Inventor(s) It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 1, (first line after the title) "it" (second occurrence) should be to same column, penultimate line, after "as" insert the Column 4, lines 9 and 48, "system" should be apparatus same column, lines 15, 17, 54 and 56, cancel "for"; same column, line 23, "leas" should be less same column, lines 30 and 31, cancel "when said lower end is engaged therewith same column, line 31 cancel "can"; same column, line 32, cancel "be" and substitute is same column, line 64, cancel "can be" and substitute is Column 5, line 2, "surface" should be surfaces same column, lines 9, ll, l2, 14, 15 and 16, cancel "for".

Column 6, line 7, "downwardly" should be upwardly Signed and sealed this 22nd day of August 1972.

(SEAL) Attestf w EDWARD M.?LETCHER,JR- ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Att est ing Officer Commis s ioner of Patents 

1. For use in a storage space providing a floor and a ceiling, a rack system comprising a plurality of vertically extending standards, a baseplate for connecting each standard to such a floor and supporting it thereon, and a ceiling plate for connecting each standard to such a ceiling, said base and ceiling plates being provided in pairs to be fastened, respectively, to such floor and ceiling in vertical registry, each baseplate providing upwardly extending rigid means for engaging the lower end of one of said standards, and each ceiling plate providing downwardly extending rigid means for engaging the upper end of one of said standards, said downwardly extending means of each ceiling plate being proportioned and designed to guide the standard connected thereto for generally vertical reciprocation only by an amount greater than the height of said upwardly extending means of the baseplate disposed therebelow and equal to or leas than the difference between the length of the standard and the vertical distance between the plates and positively to restrain the upper end of the standard from moving laterally, said upwardly extending means of each baseplate being proportioned and designed to guide the standard connected thereto for generally vertical reciprocation only and positively to restrain the lower end of the standard from moving laterally when said lower end is engaged therewith, whereby, each standard can be connected to a pair of said plates by engaging the upper end of said standard with the downwardly extending means of the ceiling plate, lifting the standard vertically upwardly and, then lowering the lower end of said standard into secure engagement with the upwardly extending means of the baseplate, the engagement of the lower end of said standard with said upwardly extending means being maintained by gravity.
 2. The rack system of claim 1 in which each of said standards includes a main body portion, each upwardly extending means includes means defining upwardly opening means for receiving the lower end of a main body portion, and each downwardly extending means includes means defining a downwardly opening means for telescopically receiving the upper end of a main body portion.
 3. For use in a storage space providing a floor and a ceiling, a rack system comprising a plurality of vertically extending standards, a baseplate for connecting each standard to such a floor and supporting it thereon, and a ceiling plate for connecting each standard to such a ceiling, said base and ceiling plates being provided in pairs to be fastened, respectively, to such floor and ceiling in vertical registry, each baseplate providing upwardly extending means for engaging the lower end of one of said standards, and each ceiling plate providing downwardly extending means for engaging the upper end of one of said standards, said downwardly extending means of each ceiling plate being proportioned and designed to guide the standard connected thereto for generally vertical reciprocation by an amount greater than the height of said upwardly extending means of the baseplate disposed therebelow and equal to or less than the difference between the length of the standard and the vertical distance between the plates, whereby, each standard can be connected to a pair of said plates by engaging the upper end of said standard with the downwardly extending means of the ceiling plate, lifting the standard vertically upwardly and, then lowering the lower end of said standard into secure engagement with the upwardly extending means of the baseplate, each standard including an elongated member having a generally C-shaped cross section providing a longitudinally extending main body portion and first and second parallel and longitudinally extending flange portions extending therefrom and providing generally parallel, oppositely facing outer surfaces, said main body portion providing a generally flat, longitudinally extending back surface generally perpendicular to said outer surface and first and second generally flat, longitudinally extending front surfaces generally parallel to said back surface, said first front surface and the outer surface of said first flange intersecting to provide a first corner and said second front surface and the outer surface of said second flange intersecting to provide a second corner, the downwardly extending means of each ceiling plate including a first downwardly extending projection for engaging said first corners, a second downwardly extending projection for engaging said second corners, and a third downwardly extending projection for engaging said back surfaces, and the upwardly extending means of each baseplate including a first upwardly extending projection for engaging said first corners, a second upwardly extending projection for engaging said second corners, and a third upwardly extending projection for engaging said back surfaces.
 4. The rack system of claim 3 in which said first, second and third downwardly extending projections are laterally and Downwardly extending flanges with said first and second downwardly extending projections being parallel to and spaced forwardly of said third downwardly extending projection, and in which said first, second and third upwardly extending projections are laterally and upwardly extending flanges with said first and second upwardly extending projections being parallel to and spaced forwardly of said third upwardly extending projection.
 5. The rack system of claim 4 in which said first and second downwardly extending projections are equidistantly spaced from said third downwardly extending projection, and in which said first and second upwardly extending projections are equidistantly spaced from said third downwardly extending projection.
 6. The rack system of claim 5 in which the distance between said first and second downwardly extending projections and said third downwardly extending projection is slightly greater than the distance between the back surface and the front surfaces of the standard engaged thereby, and in which the distance between said first and second upwardly extending projections and said third upwardly extending projection is slightly greater than the distance between the back surface and the front surfaces of the standard engaged thereby.
 7. The rack system of claim 6 in which the distance between the inner edges of said first and second downwardly extending projections and the distance between the inner edges of said first and second upwardly extending projections is slightly greater than the distance between the outer surfaces of one of the standards engaged thereby. 